Different Shades of Darkness
by Dezaria
Summary: While Link is still sealed away in the Sacred Realm, Malon leaves Lon Lon Ranch and unknowingly accepts a much harder destiny. Be warned, this tale is on the darker side.
1. Prologue

**WARNING**- This story is rated M for a reason. No, not every single chapter will have touchy subjects such as rape, or gruesomely graphic battles full of gory detail. I simply am throwing it out there that I am not going to hold back due to a possible naughty boy or girl adventuring the net. This is the only time I will post my warning. Amen.

**Disclaimer**- Also, as I'm sure you're very well aware, I do not own Zelda.

Prologue

* * *

**And there's a demon in my head who starts to play,**

**a nightmare tape loop of what went wrong yesterday.**

**And I hold my breath 'till it's more than I can take.**

**And I close my eyes and dream that I'm awake.**

Narcolepsy, Third Eye Blind

* * *

Malon sighed softly as she groomed Kaz, the only stallion out of Lon Lon's horses. Glancing up to the blue sky, which was nearly bereft of the puffy white clouds she adored so much, the red head allowed her mind to stray. She began meticulously piecing together a daydream where she lived in a warm household with a little sister to dote on. She had always wanted a sibling. They would have adventures together and come home dirty often. Such behaviour would be looked upon with tolerated fondness from her loving parents, until their dirty feet messed up the clean floor that is. Then her soft spoken mother would kindly point out her little sister and her carelessness with a motherly grin. Or something like that. Perhaps a scolding would be more appropriate?

Kaz stamped a hoof in impatience.

"Sorry." Malon offered sheepishly. Her habit of slipping off into a daydream was not a new development.

The chocolate stallion turned his head to give the young woman a knowing look. His dark eyes stated clearly that even though the apology was accepted, he fully expected her to go into her own world again. It was too bad that her hands always stopped moving whenever she became fully immersed in her daydreams.

She did her best, truly, yet it was futile. Her ultimate desire to escape her situation fueled her inability to remain in the present. Luckily, the animals didn't take offense. She'd seen the pitying looks the cows gave her, and so she knew they understood far more than anyone gave them credit for.

The chickens had even come together to save her on more than one occasion from Ingo's heavy handed method of persuasion.

In all reality, the animals were all she had for friends nowadays. She sighed again. Not that she ever had many friends to begin with, but one loss in particular stood out in raw detail. Five and a half years ago her fairy boy stopped visiting. It wasn't as if she invested her young heart into the cute boy, or anything silly like that. Who would want a little farmer girl's attention anyways?

Malon scoffed at her own line of thought.

She knew that her personal feelings didn't matter to the world at large, but sometimes it seemed almost like it was her fault everything went to shit. After her heart wrapped itself in hurt and began tasting the bitterness of loss, the evil Ganondorf took over and nothing good ever happened from then on. He had even brought his vile disease to her ranch. Malon's lip curled in disgust at the thought of Ingo practically kissing the ground where the loathsome man walked. Ganondorf had exuded such wickedness she could practically touch it. Whether it was due to some sort of magic or not, the red head didn't know. She did know that the oddly pigmented man was hate incarnate, and how someone could not _see_ that was beyond her.

Soon after that visit, a twisted Ingo was put in charge of Lon Lon Ranch. He wore the same clothes, but he became horribly mean. Ordering her father and her around had been his new pleasure. The red head knew it was only a matter of time before her father would fall behind. Malon was used to hard work, but Talon had always relied heavily upon Ingo and his daughter.

As years passed by, the girl learned to live with fear and anxiety out of necessity. Whenever Ingo would walk by she would hold her breath and do her best to be invisible - anything to keep attention off of herself. Unfortunately, that would only cause more reprimands to be directed toward her father.

Malon felt selfish for letting her dad get treated badly, so she started doing his work as well as her own whenever Talon fell asleep during his tasks, which happened more than she cared to admit. Ingo might have caught on eventually, but the red head fell ill and her father's short comings were brought to light while she couldn't leave her bed.

That was right before her poor father was exiled from the ranch with only the clothes on his back. Sure, her father habitually took the lazy way out, but he didn't deserve the vitriol that flowed from Ingo's mouth that day. The tears were impossible to hide when the man who practically owned her stormed his way into her room and informed her that she had a day longer to rest and then she would be required to fulfill her duties again. The "or else" had hung dangerously unsaid in the humid air.

The red head still felt a confused jumble of emotions at being forced to remain behind. Hurt and abandonment fought with the happiness that her father was now free in a sense. There was barely any hope left in her heart, and she couldn't help but direct that hope toward the wish that her father would come to save her. Or maybe her fairy boy would come out of nowhere and rescue her? She had several daydreams about the latter. Rolling her eyes, she blew a rueful sigh between her dry lips.

She had no idea if her father was all right, but she missed him desperately. Even though most of the time he was asleep, he still had been a huge part of her life. There was a small piece of her that wanted to hate her father, but she'd experienced enough hate while living with Ingo to decide to never allow such emotions to fester long in her heart.

Another sigh.

Patting Kaz's flank to let him know she was done, she then went over to Ava to begin untangling the light brown mare's mane. Used to the routine, Ava allowed her caretaker to groom her with little fuss. It didn't take long for Malon's mind to shift from her task to other matters.

Would she ever see her father again? With an odd looking minion showing up nowadays to take all the ranch's shipments to Ganondorf, Malon never had an excuse to leave the ranch. Would he even recognize her if she found him?

She looked down at herself, frowning. So much had changed in her life that she barely had time to notice the changes in herself. Over the years she had begun to grow into a young woman and she didn't like the way that Ingo leered at her. It wasn't too hard to distance herself from the man considering he preferred to stay inside, but sometimes even that distance wasn't enough.

_Just too much bad in this world, _the young woman thought wearily.

Malon tried to focus on her duty at hand, but she knew her heart wasn't into the work today. She wished that someone would hurry up and come save her, despite the fact it was foolish to do so. Yet another sigh. If she wasn't careful, she might just sigh herself backwards.

* * *

When she finally finished grooming the horses the sun was setting, so she sought her best friend out. Epona was lazily chewing some hay when she spotted her in the corral. Malon leaned against her best friend and told her that she missed the good ol' days, like she did every day. Then Epona nuzzled Malon's shoulder in sympathy, like she did every day as well. Epona went back to eating and Malon lifted her gaze to the darkening sky. The ring of fire above the mountains to the northeast was getting thicker, she noticed. The foreboding presence it gave off reminded her of the dense fog that started to stray toward Hyrule Market Town the last time she was allowed to deliver the milk there.

_Slowly but surely Hyrule is being destroyed_, Malon thought. She wrapped her arms, as much as she could at least, around Epona's neck for comfort. _Does anyone else notice the pain the land is in?_

"Hurry up out there, girl! I'm hungry!" Ingo's shouting broke apart her thoughts successfully.

"Coming!" She called back before she heard the door shut. "Rotten bastard."

Hugging Epona one more time she raced across the ranch to go make dinner. A hungry Ingo was a very cruel Ingo, so it was worth the cooking of meals to Malon.

"Did you get everything done today?" Came the usual greeting from Ingo once she began organizing a simple dinner. His words were lethargic and loud, leading Malon to believe that he'd been drinking. No surprise there.

"Yes, of course." She kept her stiff back to the table, unwilling to watch as he eyed her.

"Good. Now get me another bottle, girl! Stop wasting my time!" Malon flinched at his raised voice. Quickly she opened the liquor cabinet and took out one of the various bottles. He never seemed to care what he drank as long as it wasn't water, or anything else nonalcoholic. She did her best to keep her gaze downcast while bringing Ingo his drink. Though it was impossible not to feel his large hand brush hers before he snatched the bottle away.

* * *

An hour later Malon just finished washing the dishes and was quite ready to fall asleep. She walked up the stairs quietly so she wouldn't wake Ingo and slipped inside her small room. Not daring to light a candle, Malon headed straight for her bed.

Suddenly, the world slowed as she realized that she wasn't alone. Someone else was breathing in the darkness of her room. She knew something was terribly wrong even before her eyes met his crazed ones.

He grabbed her before she could make it out the door and a scream escaped her. Ingo scowled as she kicked him, but instead of letting go of his harsh grip on her arms he just shook her roughly. She screamed again. He tossed her onto her small bed and backhanded her when she tried to get away. The coppery taste of blood made her want to retch, but her heightened sense of fear clamped her throat shut.

"Stay still, you stupid girl." He growled, breath reeking of alcohol. Malon knew what he was going to do if she was still, and that was most certainly not on her agenda. Therefore, she fought with all her might. Eventually she began to tire due to her long day of labor, while Ingo had plenty of energy after lazing about and drinking.

After he tore at her skirt until it fell to the side in tatters, she crossed her legs tightly and turned on her side. She heard Ingo chuckle and damned him to the deepest pits of hell for the hundredth time. Soon she realized what amused him so - he had torn parts from her ruined skirt and almost had one wrist tied to a bedpost. Crying out fearfully, Malon began to struggle anew. It only took a few minutes for Ingo to restrain both arms regardless of her kicking and clawing.

Hot tears streamed down her face while she helplessly fought the makeshift bindings Ingo used to tie her wrists to the bedposts. Malon's screams were muffled by her own shawl, which Ingo tied tightly behind her head. She felt his painful grip on her legs as he finally pulled them apart. Malon refused to give up, so she kept turning and twisting away from the malicious man above her. She whimpered when she felt his fingers push her panties to the side and then a scream tore out of Malon's throat as he thrust into her. And then again and again. Agonizing pain spread throughout her abdomen, and inside she felt herself tearing apart.

His hands went from her thighs to her hips and every now and then she felt her breasts being roughly handled. She could hear his grunting becoming louder and tasted bile mix with the blood from her busted lip. Disgusted and betrayed, she found herself staring up at the ceiling and going numb. Then heat spread inside her and everything seemed to go still.

There was a long moment of horrific silence, but Malon felt a distinct lack of interest. She supposed she should do something to get Ingo off of her, yet the emptiness felt so soothing. When the man above her finally stirred, she remained motionless. Even when he pulled out of her, she didn't respond to the pain or stickiness. She vaguely acknowledged her wrists being freed before she felt herself being carried. She knew she should pay attention from a distant place in her mind, but didn't care enough to focus.

When she hit the ground she didn't even bother standing. The pain had returned and she had started sobbing again, or maybe just crying even harder? She didn't really know.

Looking around she realized that Ingo had left her outside the house. A solid idea finally pushed past the blank numbness, and so she began crawling toward the barn's door. It wasn't too far from the house, but it felt like an eternity to the injured young woman.

Reaching up to open the door caused pure agony to race through her stretched muscles and she hissed in pain. At long last, she was able to grab the knob and twisted it for all she was worth. Malon fell to the ground once again as the door flew opened due to her weight against it. Quickly crawling through the barn she found the empty stall where she hid a bottle of Lon Lon milk within the hay. By sniffing the milk she knew it wasn't yet spoiled, so she drank the entire bottle.

The effect was instantaneous. Warmth and energy rushed all over her body replacing her pain. She swept her tongue over her once busted lip to find it merely a bit swollen. Using the barn's wall to lean on, Malon slowly stood up. The pain was bearable, so she blinked her eyes clear and walked over to where she placed the horses' riding gear. Wrapping a horse sheet about herself, she tied it so it looked somewhat like clothing. Then she set Epona's reins on her shoulder and found her best friend's saddle on its rack. Knowing she'd find a use for it, she made sure to fasten the empty bottle safely in the saddle's pack before hoisting it up.

All the riding equipment was too painful to carry all around the ranch in search for her friend, but Malon's hoarse voice couldn't sing Epona's song. Exhausted, she tried humming and sure enough Epona came galloping to her. The horse evaluated her life-long friend and then ferociously stamped the ground.

"I know, Epona." She whispered hoarsely. "That's why we're leaving. Okay?"

Epona whinnied in agreement.

"I know this is a lot to ask... are you sure you don't mind leaving the ranch behind?"

Malon wanted to smile, but started crying again instead when Epona lowered her head to give her a look that simply stated 'duh.'

"All right, then let's get you saddled up," she said through her tears.

Epona stayed as still as she could while her friend's hands hastily placed her saddle over the thick fabric that made the uncomfortable thing endurable. The horse patiently let Malon tighten the girth and then lowered her head so she could secure the bridle. Epona nuzzled her friend's cheek softly in thanks for using a bitless bridle. Although Malon usually did, she still felt thankful. After fixing the saddle pack firmly in place, she ungracefully mounted Epona and wasted no time leaving the ranch behind her.

* * *

**Edited: 2011 **

I wanted to add a bit more substance to the prologue. Hopefully, you'll now have a better grasp on what Malon's life was like and so on. Oh, and I also wanted it to be apparent that Malon kept the bottle, since prologue Version 1 didn't make that clear.**  
**


	2. A New Life

**A/N **- I'm going to do my best not to change too much, but a few things will have to change to suit the plot better. For example, Sheik is going to be his own character separate of Zelda. Just letting you know right here up front, so please don't get upset with me!

Chapter One: A New Life

* * *

**Healing comes so painfully,**

**And it chills to the bone.**

**Will anyone get close to me?**

**I'm damaged, as I'm sure you know.**

Damaged, Plumb

* * *

It was dark, and the only thing that kept Malon from screaming was knowing that she was with the only being she truly trusted in the world. There was no telling what direction she was heading, not that it mattered as long as it was _far _away from the ranch.

Epona reared up suddenly and landed with a sick crunch of bone. Looking down, Malon saw straight into the malevolently glowing eye sockets of a stalchild. She hadn't even thought of the repercussions of traveling at night! Luckily, her best friend didn't seem scared at all. She stood her ground and fought, but soon it was obvious that they'd be stuck in the same place until daylight if they didn't move. A strange, perhaps hysterical, laugh bubbled up and out of Malon as her friend not only out-ran the stalchildren, but ran over them as well. Soon they were crossing a small, wooden bridge and Malon steered the mare toward the stairs of some town.

Hesitantly Epona walked up the stairs, if anyone else asked her to do this...

Once in the town, Malon brought Epona to a stop. Then she slowly swung a leg around and waited for her muscles to relax before hopping down. The milk she drank did wonders, but she was still aching. She led Epona further into the town, just to be safe. After finding a good spot, she told her friend to wait for her return as she unfastened the leather bridle. Malon hugged her best friend and placed the bridle on the ground beside her. Reluctantly, Malon left Epona to look for a place to stay the night.

She walked by a tall tree in the middle of the town and heard laughing. It was an odd sight seeing two men, obviously good friends, joking about trivial things when she felt Hyrule was in a state of crisis. They made her feel lonely. A memory of her fairy boy's friendly smile and cheerful aquamarine eyes popped into her mind. Recognizing where her thoughts would lead her, she focused harder on finding a place to stay. Unfortunately, everyone was either unwilling or they had no more room.

_Though I swear those were my father's snores... _

Malon shook the thought away._  
_

She ended up traversing a couple sets of stairs before knocking on a door that a kind looking lady opened after a moment. The woman blinked sleep away and looked down at Malon before lecturing her about how dangerous the night was for a young lady, especially dressed incorrectly.

"Get inside this instant and I'll make you some soup before you catch a cold!" Malon stared wide-eyed for a moment before following the woman's orders.

Once inside, the two fell into a comfortable silence. The woman kept her questions to herself and Malon was content with looking around the house. It was rather homey and well furnished. She caught sight of a steep staircase that led to the upper rooms as she walked behind the woman. The dark haired woman motioned to a large, deku table so Malon sat down in a sturdy chair. She watched as the motherly woman threw together a soup with practiced ease and then put a large, steaming bowl in front of her. Then the woman took a seat across from her.

"Are you always quiet, or are you just afraid of answering questions?" Malon looked up into the intuitive, brown eyes of the woman in front of her.

"Answering questions." She admitted quietly. "Oh, wow! This soup is excellent, thank you so much." The woman smiled happily at her sudden compliment.

"Well, after raising a family it better be... although, I never had a daughter before." And then the woman winked at her. Malon felt her lips curl into a smile in response, and then her attention focused onto the delicious soup.

"Mm, thanks again."

"Don't worry about it, hon." She said as she took the bowl into the kitchen to wash. "So, am I going to get a name out of you tonight?"

"Oh, sorry. It's Mai." Malon disliked lying, but she didn't know if Ingo would look for her. _Better safe than sorry._

"Mai - what a pretty name. I'm Sabine. Now, you have two choices. We have a spare bed in my son's room," Malon unconsciously flinched. "I assure you, he's harmless. Or you can grow roots in our couch tonight, and then we can organize something tomorrow if you need to stay more than a night."

"I don't want to wake your son up," Malon half lied, "so the couch will be just fine for me." Malon didn't know how comfortable she'd be sleeping in a room with a stranger's boy.

"All right, follow me." Once again she followed Sabine. This time she regarded the woman in front of her. Sabine had her dark hair trussed up in a bun. Her thick, blue robe looked worn, yet well stitched. She wasn't thin, but she wasn't exactly portly either. "Here's our couch." Sabine turned and gave Malon a quick once over, successfully getting the young woman's attention. "I think you'll be short enough to stretch out on the thing and still fit. Let me go get a blanket and pillow for you."

Settling down on the couch, Malon found it to be nicely broken in. She was almost asleep when Sabine came back with a soft comforter and an equally soft pillow. Malon tiredly thanked the woman and they said their good nights. She felt a deep sleep consume her whole after burrowing herself into the blanket.

* * *

Malon woke to a bustling household. There was a little boy running around with surprising speed. Then came a young man, probably a couple years older than herself, chasing right behind the little boy. Sabine was right behind both of them, threatening the two in harsh whispers. It was incredibly sweet to know that someone was thinking about her.

"It's all right, Sabine. I'm up." The woman turned to Malon and gave her an apologetic look before rounding on her sons and letting them have it for waking their guest.

"Kids will be kids," Sabine huffed as she walked over to Malon. "My oldest is Zaide, and Oistin is the little trouble maker. Oh, and I found some clothes that might just fit you -" There was a loud crash and Malon watched as Sabine closed her eyes and her face reddened. "Zaide!" The older son appeared, looking just a bit sheepish. "Show Mai to the restroom."

Sabine handed some clothes over to Malon before heading off in the direction of the crash. After untangling herself from the blanket, Malon followed after Zaide. He had his mother's dark hair and pale complexion, but his eyes were an odd shade of green. Even though she figured he was quite handsome, all she could think of was how much she appreciated the space between them.

"Here ya go, our lovely bathroom." He waved towards the bathroom door and Malon didn't hesitate.

Closing and locking the door behind her, she put the clothes on the counter and started drawing up a bath. She eased out of her clothes and examined herself in the mirror. She looked horrible. There were light bruises on her wrists, arms, and thighs. There was dried blood down along her inner thighs and the unwelcome memories assaulted her. Biting her lip to ward off the tears, Malon sank into the bathtub and quietly relished the warmth of the water surrounding her.

She began fiercely scrubbing at her skin after having relaxed a moment. She was darkly fascinated by the water as it turned a pink hue from all the blood washing off. She felt utterly disgusting, and knew it had nothing to do with the grime covering her skin. She continued to scrub herself regardless. When Malon found the hair soap, she made sure her long hair was soaked completely before massaging the soap throughout her red hair. Working the soap in and washing it out of her hair took a while, so her thoughts eventually strayed to the previous day.

Never in her life had she ever felt so ridiculously helpless. Malon already knew she didn't like being defenseless, yet growing up on a farm made her feel stronger than she suspected other girls were. Now she understood that her strength meant nothing if she didn't know how to fight back efficiently. Of course, the only person she knew that fought things had disappeared from her life years ago.

That left her with one option: find someone willing to teach her how to fight.

Content with her proactive state of mind, Malon finished cleaning herself while being careful to wash lightly over her many bruises. She stood and stepped out of the bathtub. Seeing a conveniently placed towel, she grabbed it and began to dry off after she had unplugged the tub. Her hair always took forever to dry, so once her skin felt dry enough she wrapped her long hair up with the thick towel.

The clothes Sabine gave Malon looked like they actually could fit, but Malon was rather unsure about wearing leggings... especially with no underwear. She looked over to her pile of dirty clothes; it would take more than Ganondorf himself to get her to wear those panties again. Noticing some clean wrapping underneath the sleeveless, leather jerkin, she silently thanked Sabine. Once her chest was wrapped securely, Malon slipped into the jerkin and tightened the laces until the cloth fit comfortably. There was so much extra string that Malon knotted it before tucking the extra under the jerkin. The leggings must have belonged to Zaide when he was younger, she figured. They rode low on her hips and pooled down on the ground, so she took a moment to roll them up. Luckily they were tight enough on her hips and thighs that she wasn't too worried about them falling off.

She left the bathroom with her hair still up in the towel and her dirty clothes in her arms. The house sounded much more quiet than before, so she had trouble finding Sabine. Malon cursed softly when her toe jammed into a bin near the kitchen. Lifting up the lid she was quite certain that she'd just found a trash bin, so she tossed her dirty clothes in and continued on her search for the family.

"Mai, is that you, sweetie?" Called Sabine's kind voice from the kitchen.

"Yes. Sorry... I didn't see the bin until too late." She mumbled as she walked into the kitchen, and then the smell of well seasoned food surrounded her senses. "Woah, whatever you're cooking smells delicious."

"Good, I was hoping I'd be able to get another meal in you before you have the chance to get away," came the woman's cheery reply. Malon smiled, deciding she definitely liked Sabine. "Zaide! Oistin! Come set the table, dears!"

"Do you need any help?" Malon offered, but Sabine waved her away from the kitchen muttering something about tired, young women needing to give themselves a break. Malon shrugged it off and left the kitchen to travel back to the bathroom. Her hair was dry enough not to drip and she didn't want to just leave the towel around the house. After opening a few cabinets she found a hamper and attacked her hair once more before discarding the wet towel into the hamper.

Malon was introduced to Lee, the father of the household, shortly before they sat down to eat. He was a tall and quiet man whose mellow demeanor soothed her frayed nerves. Zaide sat next to her, quiet like his father except for a few comments about what he called 'Death Mountain.' Malon had never heard any name for the mountain range, but she felt Death Mountain fit quite well. She also discovered from discreet glances that Zaide received his green eyes from his father.

Oistin, on the other hand, was lively like his mother. Those two filled the silence with nearly constant chatter. The young boy sat beside his mother so that whenever he eyed his spoon and potatoes deviously Sabine would be able to prevent the food fight. Thankfully lunch passed by without incident.

Afterward, Lee disappeared upstairs while Malon finally talked Sabine into letting her help wash the dishes. Zaide was ordered to take his little brother to bed for a midday nap, which didn't go over too well with Oisten. His whining stopped when Sabine threatened a spanking, although the little boy didn't see the playful wink his mother tossed Malon. She tried not to laugh at the family's antics. _What would life be like if I had a family like this? _Loneliness sank heavily upon her shoulders.

_It would be better to not get too attached_, the young woman figured.

"So, are you going to leave soon?" Sabine inquired softly after the boys had headed off to Oistin's room. Malon was shocked at the woman's quick perception.

"Yes." She couldn't help but sigh. "May I keep these clothes, please?"

"Of course, hon."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Her voice was a distracted whisper. She seemed to be considering whether or not to say something as she dried her hands and then passed the kitchen towelette over to Malon. "Mai, I don't know who you are or why you came here, but I've this feeling that you're important. True, it's just a feeling... but through my life I've learned to trust those little gut feelings. As should you, dear. It could save your life someday."

"I, well, I'm not sure exactly what you mean, but I'll try."

"That's all anyone can do, sweetie."

"You've done so much for a complete stranger." A small, but genuine smile curved Malon's lips. "Thank you for everything."

"You're always welcome here." Sabine told the young woman stepping out of her life as quickly and abruptly as she entered.

"You have been so kind. And I... it's been years since I had a mother." Malon admitted over her shoulder as she walked out the front door. She didn't look back as she practically fled down the stairs towards where she left her best friend. When she saw Epona she realized that the horse was sound asleep and she didn't have the heart to wake her just yet.

Sitting down and looking up at the bright sky, Malon went over what she'd seen during her short stay at Sabine's house. Would her mother have been able to manage Malon with the ease in which Sabine managed her children? Her heart clenched in her chest, would her mother have been able to protect her after Ganondorf took over? She thought back to what she could remember of her mother. Sadly, there wasn't much since she was only a small child when her mother had passed on, but the warmth and safety of a mother's embrace was unforgettable.

She remembered her mother singing, with love enriching every note. Epona's song was born from her mother's voice, and was one of the only things Malon could specifically remember about her mom.

Then there was what her father had told her about her mother. Supposedly she inherited quite a bit from her mother; the red hair and blue eyes, the high work ethic, and zeal for life. Then a brief memory flittered across her thoughts, shocking her enough to quickly get her on her feet with a sharp inhalation of breath.

_She's here... he told me she was here!_

* * *

**Edited: 2011**

Just fixing things up a little. I also found lyrics that were more appropriate for the chapter.**  
**


	3. A Welcome Distraction

**A/N**: For all of those who waited: SORRY! Je suis desolsée! Gomen! Thanks for being patient BushWhacker!

**Disclaimer**: Yup, Nintendo won rock, paper, scissors with me _again. _One of these days the characters will be mine! *Insert maniacal laughter here.*

Chapter Two: A Welcome Distraction

* * *

**Don't damn me when I speak a piece of my mind,**

**'Cause silence isn't golden when I'm holding it inside.**

**'Cause I've been where I have been, and I've seen what I have seen.**

**I put the pen to the paper 'cause it's all a part of me.**

Don't Damn Me, Guns N' Roses

* * *

Stretching out his over-worked muscles and sighing into the slight breeze, Sheik desperately tried to stop his train of thought. It always ended with the same result: the Hero of Time needed to hurry up and be ready. Hyrule was running dangerously close to being out of time.

_And it's not like we have any spare Sheikah to throw at Ganondorf, _the traitorous thought snuck across his mind before he could stop it. And then, _wait, that's what I'm here for. _

Sheik rubbed a calloused hand over his bare face. Try as he might, he could not brush off the bitter feelings he had bottled up over his race being mere servants. Another sigh escaped his chapped lips. Closing his eyes and leaning all his weight onto the wooden fence, the young Sheikah focused on the creaking of the windmill behind him. Finally he reached a state of peace when the constant creak drowned out the world around him.

Rich golden brows furrowed when a tinkling noise caught his sensitive ears. Then it was gone.

There it was again.

He frowned when the sound didn't go away, but instead grew louder. His frown deepened after a series of feminine sniffles left little mystery as to what the disturbance was. It seemed that you couldn't expect silence while taking a break in a graveyard. It was just his luck that someone would actually enter the graveyard during his 'breather.'

"Momma..." A wretched sob escaped the graveyard visitor. Sheik's stubborn will refused to fully acknowledge the disturbance. "...why couldn't you stay?" The visitor continued sobbing loudly, unaware of her audience.

_I will not be distracted by-_

A loud, wet sniffle. Sheik's eyelids clamped tighter until the pressure began to hurt.

_I will not be distracted by this... this distraction, _he thought furiously. Considering even his thoughts were unhinged by the injured-cow sobs now coming from somewhere off to his right, he knew it was all in vain. He was always a stubborn one though.

_Just ignore it, Sheik. Whoever it is will go away soon enough._

A sudden whir and cackle, that Sheik immediately identified as a poe, was shortly followed by a shriek.

_Or not, _Sheik thought morosely.

Another scream and Sheik's eyes flew open. He quickly assessed the situation before him. A distraught, oddly clothed young woman stood facing the poe with her back to a tombstone as if trying to protect it. A quick, heart-wrenching moment of _what-if _passed over the man before he dismissed the anxiety of being seen. She needed his help. He would not fail as a protector in this world, however dark it may become.

Allowing his primitive instincts to reign over his actions, Sheik jumped off of the railing to land silently in a crouch on the graveyard ground. Feeling the adrenaline charge through his body made the animal within smile gleefully.

This was what he was bred for.

* * *

Malon had heard of these evil spirits, but she'd never been face to face with one before. It scared the wits out of her. As she stood protecting her mother's gravestone, confronting someone's twisted soul, she found herself stuck. Seemingly mesmerized by the twirling lantern that would strike her if she did not _move,_ yet she couldn't.

Snippets of her life began to play throughout her mind. It was as if her own life begged her to find hope within her past. Just enough to _react_, yet the closer the past became the present, the more paralyzed the young woman became. Her father leaving her behind. No goodbye, just like her fairy boy. _Just like her mother. _Darkness spreading through her life - her world - too fast not to notice. A tangible, vile creature created within Ingo, lashing out in such a horrible way that Malon knew not how to cope.

Completely unraveled by her raw emotions and memories, another player in the mix went wholly unnoticed. That is, until said participant knocked Malon on her ass in order to divert the poe's attention. Being literally shoved out of her torturous thoughts was quite a shock. Almost as much as hitting the ground, or looking up and seeing an utter stranger standing between you and certain harm.

Stunned further into silence, Malon could only watch as the poe zipped after the incredibly agile stranger. She'd never seen anyone move like that! Noticing a few key aspects on the tightly clothed figure, the young woman couldn't help but identify what sex her savior was. Then, as the poe cackled and charged the stranger once again, he seemed to crouch and then he was in the air. Malon observed with wide eyes as the dexterous man flipped in mid air to land gracefully on his feet before pursuing her attacker. The gap was closed in a few strides, and then a short blade appeared to have materialized in the stranger's hand right before the blade pierced through the poe's defenseless back. It was disturbing how simple he made it look.

Angered, the spirit twirled away after the shock at being struck faded. The man didn't move from where he initially stabbed the poe. He just waited silently for something. The poe meandered a moment, and then targeted the stranger again. The mad spirit twirled its lantern dangerously as it came quickly toward the still man. Malon nearly cried out for him to move, but swallowed down the urge when her savior rolled to the side and quickly lashed out at the poe's unprotected side.

The young woman stood back up on shaky limbs as she watched the poe dissipate. Her gaze then turned to the man who had saved her. The first thing that crossed her mind was how much of his body was covered. His head, chest, forearms, and fingers were all wrapped tightly with slightly stained cloth. The odd body armor he was wearing had a couple of cuts in it that looked easy to sew. She found that the different shades of blue on his armor looked far too calm for how well he was able to kill.

Malon didn't look up to meet his questioning gaze once he pivoted to face her. In fact, her eyes were quite stuck on the strange symbol dyed into the cloth draped over his chest. What was that? Why did it make her stomach flutter and her fingers twitch?

So focused on her thoughtful inquiries, which really just consisted of finding a way to have him agree to train her, she didn't notice how close the stranger was until his masculine scent made her freeze. Trying desperately to ignore the fear that was consuming her, Malon slowly raised her stare. She regretted her choice almost immediately.

His eyes were the color of fresh blood.

* * *

Sheik reacted before he'd even grasped the situation. One moment he'd been taking in the tangled hair, her forlorn stance, the terrified look in her tear-bright eyes, and then she'd attacked him. The crazed red-head struggled to get her wrists out of his grip, so Sheik held on tighter. She was surprisingly strong, though she didn't know how to utilize her strength. Luckily.

"Why are you attacking me?" He hadn't meant to yell at her, but she finally stopped struggling at the sound of his voice.

"You're... not Ingo," she said haltingly. Sheik was highly confused by the entire situation. The name she said sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it when he tried.

"Who is Ingo?" Her eyes snapped up to his and Sheik was truly caught by surprise. The haunted look in her bloodshot eyes hit him like a physical blow to the chest, forcing him to take a step back and release her wrists. She quickly looked away and rubbed her sore wrists.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... well, you know." The young woman gestured toward him. "And thanks a lot for the saving bit."

He nodded, and then realized the pointlessness of his action since she was still looking away. He also realized she had bruises where he'd grabbed her.

He was about to apologize when he noticed the large bruises on her upper arms. He hadn't touched her anywhere besides her wrists, so perhaps he hadn't injured her? Instead of relief, Sheik felt disturbed by the conclusions he was coming to. Unable to think of anything else to say Sheik said, "you should get home."

She laughed bitterly. "I have no home, stranger."

_Ah, that answers some questions. _He scanned the cemetery, it looked as somber as she sounded. "Then what will you do?"

The young woman's brow furrowed as she considered her options and her main goal. Just as Sheik started to relax into his customary slouch, she took a step towards him. "That stuff you did to the poe. Teach me."

It was Sheik's turn to laugh. "No."

"I can be of use! I can cook well, I'm great with animals, and I can sew." She looked pointedly at his clothes.

"That's pleasant, really. But I don't have the time, nor the patience, to train someone." He turned to leave; a small, amused tilt to his lips hidden under his cloth cowl.

"Please. I don't know your name, or if you're actually corrupt like almost everything else is, but I need help." She walked in front of him to establish eye contact. Determined blue met reserved crimson. "I want my home back. I want everyone to be safe again, but I know it won't just happen if we wish it hard enough. And the only way anyone can accomplish anything is to start at the beginning."

He didn't say anything for a long while. She waited. "Are you sure you're willing to sacrifice your life for others? If no one remembers your name in the end, will you regret giving your everything for these people?" He gestured back towards the village.

"I don't consider that a sacrifice, stranger. I'll actually be doing something with my life. There's nothing to regret in doing that." Malon held his gaze, trying to make him understand how she felt.

It was obvious to Sheik that she meant what she had said, yet he was still hesitant. He had traveled by himself for years, forgetting the meaning of simple concepts such as 'friendship' and 'together.' He had watched the world settle into darkness alone and had become bitter. Could he take this innocent's hand and lead her down the same path? Even though she chose to give herself up, could he, knowing what burdened life she was asking for, strip her of her rightful naïvete?

"Please." Her quiet voice broke Sheik out of his thoughts. "I promise not to be a burden."

"You misunderstand my hesitation." The gentle curiosity visible in her eyes made him want to explain further. Something he hadn't done in a very long time. He imperceptibly shook his head before inquiring, "If you were living in a house with a demon and someone dying of thirst knocked on your door, would you allow them to come in?"

Her brows furrowed, and then she scowled. "I am not_ dying of thirst!_ I am, however, willing to do whatever's necessary to meet my end goal!" Malon noticed his eyes widen slightly, so she willed herself to calm. "It's your choice, stranger, whether you open the door or not."

She watched his eyes become distant as he was once again lost in thought. He was silent longer than before, but Malon didn't disturb his thoughts. A few times when his gaze felt heavy, she had to force herself not to fidget out of anxiety. _Just what is he thinking? _

At that moment Sheik happened to be speculating just how good a cook she might be. _It would be nice to break up the monotony in my life, anyways. And if she gets herself killed she has voiced time and again how willing she was, right? _

_Right._

"Sheik," he said while offering his hand, "Of the Sheikah people." She recalled hearing of such people years ago. It explained the red eyes at least.

"Malon." She accepted his offered hand with her own, not minding in the least that she had told him her real name. His hand was quite larger, they both noted, but he was surprised at how callused her hand felt. "I can't thank you enough, Sheik."

Worriedly, he found himself wondering how the Sages would react to her.

* * *

**Edited: 2011**

I fixed a few things: the first section with the lyrics so it'd be uniform with the other chapters. I added onto the poe fight since it takes** two **good hits to kill them in the game. I also felt bad that I mentioned bruises on Malon last chapter only to completely not follow through with them, so I fixed that hole de la plot.

****Concerns, comments? Feel free to leave a review. :)


	4. Rough Edges

**Disclaimer: **The characters you are familiar with are property of Nintendo.

Chapter Three: Rough Edges

* * *

**You stick your soul out; risk it all.**

**Your fearless beauty breaks your fall.**

**Something in me knows there's something more,**

**and it's so close I wanna run.**

Something Beautiful, Tracy Bonham

* * *

Traveling with Sheik was nothing like Malon had envisioned.

Where she had thought there would be harsh expectations, she was proven wrong time and again. Yes, he did push her to keep up with him, but she had yet to voice her exhaustion. He would always decide to set up camp before she begged him to stop. Quite a few times during the first couple of weeks, when Malon had not slept well, the Sheikan stopped for many breaks. The red head never thought much of it until after finally getting a full night's rest and they stopped much less the next day.

Where she had assumed he would be anything like the other men she'd spent any large amount of time with, Malon quickly learned that she was incorrect. Either Sheik was an exception, or he wanted something from her like everyone else but was much better at hiding it. Yes, she cooked every night like she had at the ranch, but she had offered her skills as a cook as trade for her eventual training. On top of that, Sheik usually volunteered his help if he wasn't off defending their camp from the various unfriendly night wanderers. She could only hope that once he learned what knowledge she had in the culinary ways, he would still follow through with his side of the deal.

_I have more to give than this, _Malon often reminded herself. She had yet to repair the man's outfit, but every time she thought about following through on such skills she balked. It just... she couldn't tell where one piece of cloth started and the next began. The idea that his outfit was one piece wasn't so bad as the knowledge that he'd have to be _out _of the clothing for her to fix it correctly.

Malon glanced over at the man in her thoughts, and watched him check over the camp she set up moments prior. They were nothing like friends, but their silences were comfortable and their conversations, however rare, were civil. Malon still missed Epona horribly; the red head just couldn't bring herself to teach Sheik her song. That was too much of a leap of trust, and way too fast. Besides, Malon couldn't imagine sharing the saddle with the blonde man.

Dismissing the thought, she put what was left of her quickly fading energy into the baba soup in front of her. Their provisions were draining faster now that Malon was traveling with Sheik, but Malon refused to feel guilty. With the constant traveling, for seemingly no reason to Malon, their bodies needed a good meal at least twice a day. It wasn't as if Sheik complained about having to replace their food supply more often. Hell, he'd even made this odd growling noise when he first tasted her cooking. She took it as a good sign.

"The food is ready when you are." Malon called, catching the blonde haired man's attention.

He nodded in return and made his way over to the small fire.

"Here," she said as she handed over a full bowl of soup.

"Thank you."

She was still unused to his deep voice, considering how rarely he spoke. It led her to question just how long he'd been by himself. Malon would watch him sometimes, when she thought he was too lost in thought to notice. Like now, when he silently ate his food across from her while staring off in the darkness outside their camp.

On Sheik's part, he was still baffled as to how he should treat the curious, young woman. The deal they made required her to do quite a few menial tasks, but he was loathe to handle her in such a way. He hated the idea of servitude almost as much as he abhorred hypocrisy. Therefore, Sheik tried to help her whenever he could. He was surprised that she'd usually shoo him away. The red head made better food than he could ever make anyways. Since she willingly wanted to fulfill her duties, Sheik felt less unsure about breaking his lonely habits.

He had begun teaching her how to correctly set up a camp for the night. She'd made a few beginner's mistakes, especially when it came to setting up their tents, but Sheik preferred to be more of a silent teacher. He would point out anything presenting danger with a few words, or maybe even a raised eyebrow and some blatant eying. Needless to say, when their tents collapsed in the middle of the night Malon learned just how frustrating Sheik's tutelage could be. He had to admit, it was a damn mean lesson, but she never made the same mistake again.

Malon was actually a rather quick study; which brought up Sheik's current dilemma. He'd reluctantly allowed the young woman to prepare the camp by herself due to her persistent claims of capability. He simply nodded and left to take care of any night prowlers. He knew he was running away from the oddness that was traveling with another being, but sometimes she smothered him. Luckily, annihilating the monsters wandering too close for comfort helped Sheik regain a measure of calm.

After returning, he completed a thorough check on their campsite. To his surprise, there were no mistakes. That was not to say she couldn't improve here or there, but that would come with more experience. So, he could tell her she did everything well, or he could merely thank her for setting up the camp in the first place. If he told her she did everything right, then she would request to prepare their nightly camp more often. This was even closer to treating her as a servant of some sort, which did not please the Sheikah. However, if he only thanked her without admission to her newly accomplished skills, then wouldn't that in and of itself be treating her more as a slave?

His golden brows furrowed as he continued to think over the issue.

"Sheik?" Malon asked quietly. She'd never witnessed him so... frazzled? Maybe agitated was a better description.

"Good job," the man uttered.

Taken aback, Malon opened her mouth and then closed it. _What? _

"...on the site."

"Oh." She knew she had more to offer than he expected, but the fact that he was praising her made her cheeks flush with a long forgotten feeling. To a hard worker such as Malon, being appreciated always warmed her weary spirit. "Um, thank you."

"Yeah," Sheik replied awkwardly. Observing her brighten at his small compliment made him wonder about her life before joining him. Surely she had a doting family member at one point in her life? It wasn't like he gave her anything besides the truth. A truth she had worked hard for, even. Perhaps he should speak up more?

Malon saw Sheik slip back into his private thoughts. With a growing smile, the young woman finished off the rest of her soup and placed her bowl inside the small cauldron they used for cooking and sometimes carrying their food. She slowly leaned over to grab Sheik's now-empty bowl as well, trying not to disturb him. His eyes remained distant as she wrapped a thick cloth around the warm handle of the cauldron and hefted it up. She left the camp toward some water she remembered spotting nearby. Night had fully claimed the land, so it was much harder to see. Stubbornly, Malon continued forward despite her growing unease.

_Did it just get darker, or was that my imagination? _More doubt ate at the red head._  
_

Her foot slipped on uneven ground, and as she desperately tried to regain her balance the cauldron slipped from her grasp. Cursing as she heard it roll down the slope, Malon scrambled down the crusted remains of a previously beautiful lake bed. She was startled when it began to rain without abandon. The red head was unsettled by the strange weather. _Was it raining back at camp? _Sheik was going to be upset with her for wandering off, she was sure of it. Determined to prove she wasn't a burden, she fought to see through the downpour. Tripping over the cauldron was not exactly what she'd imagined as her way of finding the damn thing, but it was good enough for her. She found the bowls scattered within a small distance from the pot itself.

Once everything was collected, she rushed over to what was left of Lake Hylia and quickly scrubbed everything clean. There was a weird noise in the distance, but when she looked up there was nothing besides mud, lake water, and rain in her sight. Feeling ridiculous, Malon shoved her soaking hair out of her face. She threw everything back into the cauldron and made her way back to camp posthaste. Just as suddenly as it started, the rain let up. Her muscles ached and she was beginning to shiver from the chill of being drenched. Then she heard that noise again. It sounded almost like something scratching the ground.

She tried to shrug it off until there was a thump and then more scratching even closer to her. Picking up her pace didn't do much to whatever was chasing her. When the hairs raised on the back of her neck she turned around just in time to spot what looked like a huge spider jumping at her. With a blood curling scream, Malon shut her eyes and swung the metal cauldron. The impact made the red head lose her balance. She landed hard on her ass, but held on tightly to the pot.

A sickly scratching made Malon's meal shift uncomfortably within her stomach. Opening her eyes revealed the source of that noise: the huge spider was shifting to face her. One of its legs was broken, but that didn't stop the brightly colored arachnid. Feeling ultimately out of her element, the young woman scooted backwards slowly and dragged the pot with her. Malon gasped when she saw it's round eyes facing her. _What needed __that__ many eyes? _

As the large spider crouched in preparation to launch itself at Malon, the red head readied her grip on the only weapon at hand. It jumped. She grit her teeth, closed her eyes and swung the cauldron with everything she had. She heard a commotion, yet felt nothing hit the pot until it impacted sharply with the ground on the other side of her.

Curious as to what happened, she peeked through mostly closed eyelids to see Sheik kneeling next to her. A startled squeal escaped her lips before she could reign in her shock. Golden eyebrows shot up, and then came crashing down.

"What were you doing?" He demanded.

"What I usually do!" Malon snapped. She was tired, freezing, and angry at her helplessness.

"I told you not to leave my sight, especially when it's dark. You can't protect yourself against - "

"And whose fault is that?"

Sheik fell into silence. He was not accustomed to arguing with anyone besides himself. Before Malon, his social interactions consisted of being told orders. Nor was he used to the strength of fear that accompanied protecting a specific person instead of the general populace. Regardless, taking his frustration at the unfamiliar out on her would solve nothing.

"You will begin training tomorrow morning." Sheik informed her quietly.

Malon was thrilled, but the chattering of her teeth stole the attention away from her pleased smile. The Sheikan realized she was drenched and shivering uncontrollably. He had thought the young woman was paler than usual, but chalked it up to being attacked. Easing the cauldron out of Malon's tight grip, the crimson eyed man held their pot in one hand and then hoisted her up with his other arm. After she was standing steadily, Sheik wrapped his free arm around her and headed toward their camp site.

Disturbed by how rigidly she moved, he set her close to the fading fire. He quickly placed all of their provisions within the clean pot and then tied the thick cloth tightly over the top. Leaving it where it was, stray animals be damned, he stroked the fire back to life.

"The fire needs more wood. While I'm gone you should remove all wet clothing."

Malon looked up sharply, "what?"

Puzzled by her defensive posture and frightened tone, Sheik explained, "if you wish to remain healthy you must warm your body."

For some reason his explanation only made her sink further into herself.

"Malon." Fearful, blue eyes stared through him. "Malon?"

"Just tell me where you are," she whispered. "And keep your back to the camp, please."

Her behaviour was beyond Sheik's understanding, but he agreed nonetheless. An odd task followed, where the Sheikah shuffled around the camp giving vocal details about where he was.

"I'm done," he called out.

"Okay, ready."

Malon huddled into the mess of canvas that she normally used for her tent. She let her worries die away as Sheik tended to the fire. His focus was clear, and it was not on anything beside helping. Guilt swiftly choked her heart, but what could she say? If she apologized it wouldn't mean anything to him. Most likely it would lead to further confusion. _Let it go, _she told herself sternly and lied down closer to the fire.

The warmth soothed her muscles and stopped her shivering. She needed to get some sleep so she could do whatever Sheik had her do for training. Surely it would be extremely intensive. There was simply no way she'd become as fluidly graceful without a harsh regimen. Would he have her fight monsters? She had no weapons though. On that stray thought, she drifted off to sleep.

Sheik didn't move from the fire until he was positive it'd burn long into the night. Even then, he only completed an uneventful patrol of the camp's surroundings before settling down next the fire again. He wouldn't be sleeping in his tent tonight.

Staring into the flickering flames, Sheik acknowledged several emotions swelling within himself. He was frustrated with Malon for not following his instructions. Yes, she had made a good point that he had yet to teach her how to defend herself. However, if she truly thought it through, then she'd understand that such skills would take time for her to acquire. During the period that she lacked said skills, she would rely upon him heavily for safety. He'd been born and raised as a weapon, so he couldn't help but wonder how relying on someone for safety felt.

And while frustration was a very familiar feeling to Sheik, the panic that penetrated his being at Malon's scream was not something he felt frequently. He was a protector of the royal family, and therefore all of Hyrule due to the Princess' orders. So, as the young woman was a Hyrulian, she was under his watch. This didn't explain how acutely he experienced the fear of failing the red head. Perhaps it was because he felt at fault for allowing her to wander off? She had assumed he was lost in thought, which he had been until she stood to leave their camp. He was quite aware of her departure, but had greatly desired a moment of solitude. While he had enjoyed a slice of normalcy, Malon had been in danger.

Guilt clawed at his gut. She had been nothing but nice to him and this was how he returned the favour? Sheik sighed deeply. She had _willingly _asked him for this life - hard and unforgiving that it was. The best conclusion he could see was if he aggressively honed her potential during the time he had to spare, and then split ties once their deal was fulfilled. That way she'd get the training she asked for, and he'd get to step back into the shadows where his kind belonged.

Malon stirred in her sleep.

He honestly never imagined facing such a predicament. It was a bizarrely intricate matter. Each decision then branched into several other options; consequences ranging from failing a sole Hyrulian to failing all of Hyrule. A whimper dragged Sheik's attention over to the red head wrapped in her tent.

Her eyelashes were dark and spiky with moisture. Looking closer, the blonde man noticed tear tracks on Malon's face. It wasn't uncommon for her to have nightmares. Whatever bothered her so, was apparently very troublesome. He just hoped she didn't cry all night like the first few nights they had traveled together.

It took effort to get back on track with his thoughts. Just how would he go about training her? She never really specified what her goal was besides wanting her home back. Which reminded him that Malon was going to get into trouble whether he was around or not. The thought was surprisingly unpleasant.

Malon's tearful mumbles started.

Rarely could he make anything out. Sometimes she begged for someone or something to stop. Once she had even yelled 'no' and startled herself awake by her own outburst. Sheik never mentioned her sleeping habits to her. As much as he had given up for traveling with someone else, he didn't feel ready to deal with whatever broaching such a topic would bring. And he was positive it would be nothing good.

Unable to continue any further introspection, Sheik determined to train her to exhaustion the next day.

* * *

**A/N: **Word. :) I haven't forgotten this story. Promise.

**Edited: 2011**

A couple incorrect words/sentences that were bothering me needed to be beaten up and replaced. Muaha!


	5. Rigorous Training, Part I

**!Important A/N: **I edited all the previous chapters for various reasons, and it'd be worth it to go back and read the story again. Plus, I'd really appreciate it. For those of you who have this story on alert, I apologize if you've received an abundance of messages.

**Disclaimer:** They don't really start never not being not exactly mine in my imagination. Have fun with that. ;)

Chapter Four: Rigorous Training, Part I

* * *

**Now I ain't afraid of living, and I ain't scared to die,**

**'Cause I feel this vibration that I can't deny.**

**I can feel it singing through me like a symphony,**

**And it tastes so sweet - like destiny.**

I Shall be Free, Kid Beyond

* * *

"No, lower." Sheik ordered.

Malon fought to control her balance. She never thought that standing a certain way for long periods of time would create such a precarious situation. Although, it had more to do with how far she was from the ground than the actual length of time Sheik demanded she remain in varying odd positions. Her burning muscles begged to differ.

"Better."

The red head merely grunted in response.

By the time her hair was plastered to her face and neck with sweat, the day had barely begun. Sheik told her to stand and ran her through a set of stretches she was beginning to feel familiar with. Then he crouched in another odd position and she did her best to match it. Both legs bent: check. Right leg over left: check. Knees facing the same direction: check. Arms perpendicular to the ground and bent: check. Fingers together and palms facing outward: check. If holding a weird stance wasn't bad enough, after Sheik felt she had ample time to copy him, he would walk around the pillar she stood on to survey her critically. She knew it was necessary, but his crimson orbs made her stiffen every time his gaze perused her posture.

"You're tensing too much again. Remember, you waste precious energy and strain the wrong muscles doing that."

Malon made a conscious effort to relax, hoping the man training her would remain oblivious to just how uncomfortable she was with him at times.

"Good. Now, back straight and feet further apart."

"How - "

"I thought we went through this already," Sheik stated pointedly. "Your questions need to cease."

"Sorry."

The blonde man nodded his acceptance. "All right, feet further apart."

She slowly inched her bare feet closer to the opposite corners of the stone pillar's surface.

"That's better, but you're still slouching forward too much."

Malon found it difficult to not react in some negative way towards the large amount of critique Sheik was giving her. The rational part of the young woman understood that training required persistence over time, yet she had never dealt with such an attentive teacher. He definitely knew what he was talking about, but Malon was beginning to worry that perhaps she wasn't capable of reaching the level of competency she desired. Even if Sheik did his utmost to prepare her, maybe she would never amount to anything more than a simple farmer's daughter? How could she have hope for anything else, when she couldn't even protect herself against a drunkard?

She accidentally exaggerated the straightening of her spine in a physical attempt to drive away her doubts. Her arms shot out instinctively when her balance wavered. Looking down the several feet she would fall, panic began to take hold. When the red head attempted to stand straight to regain her balance Sheik objected immediately.

"Go ahead and fall."

"What?" Malon squawked.

"Fall," he commanded sternly.

Malon didn't have enough time to argue, as her balance was lost and no amount of suave body mechanics would save her any longer. With arms-a-flailing, she went down screaming. Her stomach quickly jumped into her throat as she descended backwards to the ground. One of her arms collided with something and then she landed on her back hard enough to have the breath knocked from her lungs. Despite the harsh landing, whatever she landed on was more giving and much warmer than she had expected for a dried lake bed. Matter of fact, when she drew in a deep breath she felt the ground move beneath her and some... _hands_?

The red head scrambled to her feet and quickly turned to see Sheik flat on the ground with his cowl an uneven mess around his throat. Fear and embarrassment fled in the face of Malon's awe. She couldn't help but rudely stare at his exposed face as he sat up. He lowered his cowl only when he ate, and even then he usually was turned away or it was too dark to truly see his features. She hadn't thought he was hiding an abnormality or anything, but after a month of traveling with him, she had become quite curious about what he looked like. Now, in the full light of day, there was no way to hide how young Sheik was.

It wasn't that the half of his face free to inquisitive eyes seemed worn, or overtly aged, but more that his attitude and abilities led the young woman to an incorrect conclusion. He also didn't make it a habit to speak unless necessary, and that might have made it seem like he knew much more than he did. Or perhaps he was just a reserved person with extraordinary skills? There was no way to deny that his movements appeared graceful to the point of perfection, and yet it was a male no more than five years her senior that stared back at her.

Could this Sheikah, the very one who defended her so easily from the poe, really be so young? Stunned, she continued to regard Sheik's features. His face was thin, the childhood softness lost long ago and angular planes were left in its wake. A straight nose came to a point that was strong, yet not prominent within the map of his face. Below his dry, full lips was a sharp chin and strong jawline. Even without the cowl, Malon had difficulty seeing through Sheik's thick hair, but she was quite positive that his earlobes were pierced.

Crimson eyes watched the young woman inspect his face. From his experience with the opposite sex he knew he was attractive. That knowledge came along with what looks meant approval - dilated pupils and parted lips specifically came to mind. The Hyrulian's gaze was more like a very persistent, curious poke than a sensual caress. It was obvious that Malon's intent was innocent, but such blatant regard made his blood quicken. Determinedly, Sheik squashed the sexual thoughts he was formulating. He had a deal with the young woman to honor, and it had nothing to do with lust. Sheik grabbed the thick material piled on his chest and pulled it back up to cover the lower half of his face again.

Once his face was covered, Malon immediately lowered her eyes and blinked repeatedly. She didn't have to look Sheik in the eye to know he witnessed her ogling him. She felt ashamed of herself for treating Sheik in such a disrespectful manner. He'd taken the brunt of her fall, and there she was gawking at his damn face! Cheeks burning red, the young woman offered her hand to the Sheikah.

"Thanks."

"Why did I have to fall?" The red head fumed as soon as Sheik was standing, eager to direct the attention from the previous happenings to something manageable.

Off balance from the quick change in Malon's demeanor, the blonde took a moment to reply. "For the same reason I have you doing your exercises up there."

It was apparent to the Sheikah that his answer was considered unsatisfactory to Malon, but he felt confident she could figure it out by herself in time.

"Okay," she drawled. "What's next?"

"More endurance training."

Malon was about to ask him to be more specific, but Sheik had already began jogging away. "Hey, wait!"

"Keep up," he called over his shoulder.

She quickly caught up, and Sheik began lecturing her on the basics of breathing habits, posture, and pacing oneself. After their second lap around the lake, Sheik began changing the pace to force different muscles to work. Or so he claimed.

Malon groaned. Her clothes were soaked with sweat and her body ached, but she'd be damned before she gave up. Forcing her muscles to continue carrying her - right foot, then left, then right again - the exhausted young woman distracted herself by thinking back to the beginning of her day.

She'd woken up right as the sun peaked over the horizon like normal. She'd been crying again, unfortunately. Rubbing the residue from her eyes, Malon worried yet again that her traveling companion might find out about her nightmares. He hadn't mentioned anything, but he didn't really mention much at all. Then the red head realized she was naked besides her tent around her. A fear induced adrenaline rush later, and she recalled that her clothing was by the fire to dry through the night.

Getting dressed was an awkward ordeal where Malon, keeping her eyes on the sleeping man a few feet from her, felt around for her clothing and then tried to put them on beneath the cover of the tent wrapped around her. Eventually, Sheik's eyes snapped open and then focused quickly on the main point of movement in the camp - Malon. She froze under his keen gaze, leggings halfway on under the tent.

"Um, could you... ?" Malon trailed off. She desperately hoped Sheik wouldn't need her to spell out what she wanted.

"I'll check the area," Sheik mumbled and then disappeared.

She sighed thankfully.

Malon was dressed and organizing the camp when Sheik returned. He stopped her as she was preparing her pack to move as per usual. He offered no explanation for his actions, even after the young woman waited for one. The red head, still unsure as to why Sheik stopped her, decided that perhaps breakfast was in order.

"Are you hungry?" She asked neutrally.

"Eat a handful of seeds and nuts, but nothing else."

"What? Why?"

"You're beginning your training today," he reminded her.

_Of course, _Malon thought. _How could I forget?_

Excited about training, Malon held back from questioning the man's logic further. They ate in silence, but when Malon went to pack up camp Sheik stopped her once again. Frustrated, the red head finally demanded that he explain his reasoning.

"We'll be staying within the area for at least the first few months of your training."

"Why?" The red head asked, aghast. Malon could only assume that to become as great a fighter as Sheik she'd have to do some crazy things, and staying in one place wasn't exactly what she'd consider to be on the 'crazy' list.

"There's plenty to train with here," the man said simply.

It was irritating at times, the way that Sheik communicated. He stated things as if they were obvious, and the young woman figured they were to him, but not to her. She had considered pointing this out to him several times, but her insecurities always flared up and whispered that maybe she was just too stupid to see what others easily noticed. Regardless, her main reason for following this man around in the first place was to learn, and since Sheik had yet to act violently, as Ingo would if she "pestered" him, there shouldn't be anything holding her back from attempting to fully grasp what the blonde was saying.

_He's not Ingo, _she told herself firmly. _Ask for him to explain further!_

Still, would Sheik be annoyed if she asked any more questions? Malon did her best to glance over at the man surreptitiously. She was so tempted to ask about his training plan for her, but her fear of any kind of repercussion was like an unbreakable vise around her neck.

"Go ahead and ask."

"Ah! Um... how did you know?"

Sheik chuckled softly. "You get this look on your face."

Malon's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Was she that transparent?

"You had a question?"

"Erm, yes," she answered lamely, "I do."

"And it is?" Sheik prompted.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Malon blurted out unintentionally.

Crimson eyes widened, and if not for the red head's humiliation, she would have found the sight comical. "No?"

"Because there's a lot that I don't know, and I _do _know that, but I... well, I just worry you'll think I'm stupid and get angry if I ask too many questions."

Nonplussed, one of the last remaining protectors of the royal family just stared at the young woman before him as she rambled on.

"I'm a fast learner, my father always said so! But, well, I never went to Early School," Malon finally confessed in shame.

Most Hyrulian children attended what was called Early School, which covered the basics of their history, culture, and language. Those striving to become scholars would move on to studying varying advanced subjects at the Institute of Scholarly Affairs in Castle Town. At the end of their studying, scholars focused on a specific calling and then earned an apprenticeship under the tutelage of a master in their chosen calling.

"I'm not saying that I know nothing at all," she went on, "it's just - are you okay if I don't get everything on my first try?"

Sheik was puzzled as to why Malon received no official schooling in her younger years. Although, it wasn't a huge disservice considering how biased the Hyrulian's history lessons were, in his opinion, but it was becoming apparent that her lack of education largely affected her confidence. He briefly thought about teaching her subjects beyond their original deal before coming to his senses. The Sheikah had only so much spare time, and in all honesty he shouldn't even have agreed to help the young woman in the beginning.

"I'd be surprised if you grasped everything on your first try," the blonde finally admitted.

The red head seemed to fall into herself, which left Sheik at a loss since his comment had been aimed at assuaging her doubt.

"Mastering something takes time. Whether or not you do well on your first try doesn't matter to me," the Sheikah stated plainly.

After a moment, her blue eyes hesitantly glanced up. She could see his patience with the situation was evaporating, and yet he didn't look angry per se, merely resigned to deal with it - with _her. _Immediately her gut burnt with shame.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made such a fuss. Let's just forget about it."

"No."

"I said I'm sorry," Malon said quickly. Fearfully.

Sheik felt his temper test the strength of his mental barricades. "If you run from a conversation, then how will you be a capable fighter?"

The red head felt a crushing wave of doubt roll over her, before a memory of Ingo's drunk face reminded her of why she put herself in the hands of the Sheikah in the first place.

"Fine," she snapped, "I'm scared that I'll ask too many questions! There, I said it!"

"That's it?"

"Well... yes," she answered quietly, then set her spine straight and met the Sheikah's crimson eyes. "Yes, it is."

"Malon, I will tell you when your questions are not welcome."

"Really?" The look of restrained hope on her face shocked Sheik. For as stubborn a face as the young woman put on, she was startlingly fragile sometimes.

He nodded in a delayed response.

A small smile curved her lips briefly before she finally was able to ask the stranger-turned-teacher to better communicate his plans. He had looked slightly pained, but tried his best nonetheless.

As it was, Sheik planned to use the surroundings to their advantage. Since Lake Hylia was mostly protected by the bordering mountains, they could worry less about wondering enemies and focus on her training. The major down side to staying in one place was that they would use up their supplies quickly, but the crimson eyed man told Malon not to worry about it. The young Hyrulian felt dubious about just 'not worrying' over something important like supplies, but she did her best to brush it off as simply another thing she was trusting Sheik to handle.

When Malon inquired about what kind of surroundings could be used, the Sheikah had instructed her to follow him. They stopped at some aged pillars, the likes of which Malon had never seen before. One pillar had collapsed off to the side, and Malon reached down to feel its strange surface. The stone was cool and smooth to the touch. Looking back at the other columns, she realized they all had the same designs, both simple and intricate, carved into them. The red head gathered that it wasn't the work of a novice she was admiring.

Despite her desire to ask Sheik who built such beautiful stone work, there was another question burning even brighter in her mind.

"How exactly would we use these for training?"

Evidently, they were great for balance and sensory training, for whatever that meant. Sheik had tried to explain how going beyond one's comfort zone challenged your senses when you needed to focus, and the first thing Malon had to learn was to focus. And also apparently how to climb things besides trees, which was not as easy as she thought it would be.

The red head had sworn up a storm, to the great surprise and amusement of the Sheikah watching, as she continually slid painfully back down the pillar time and again. After a few more failed attempts, Sheik offered his advice with the caveat that Malon had to do as he said without any further questions.

Before Malon even realized it, her first official lesson had begun.

* * *

"All right, that's enough."

Malon sagged to the ground, her legs useless once her forward momentum ended. She felt something grab her forearm and tug. Sluggishly, the young woman opened her eyes and saw Sheik trying to pull her back up on her feet. Her brows furrowed in agitation. He said that is was enough, so what was his deal?

"Your muscles will seize up if you don't move them after exerting so much energy," the Sheikah stated. The red head was about to blow him off, but then she belatedly noted the worry written across his exposed face.

_Hey, his face!_

"Malon?"

"I'm up, I'm up," she grumbled while relying heavily upon his strength to regain her feet.

Once her legs began to hold her weight again, she waved him off. She felt disappointed in herself. Sheik may have broken a sweat, but he wasn't even breathing hard. Despite her background of practically slaving away at the ranch, she was still ill prepared for a single day of the Sheikah's basic training. Grabbing on to the thought of disappointment and hurt pride, Malon forced her body to work beyond its limits.

Sheik observed the change in the young woman, her determination making her eyes and face harden, and felt his respect for her raise.

"What's next?"

* * *

Malon slept like a dodongo during her first week of training, much to the relief of Sheik. He knew he had pushed her harder than he should have, but the silent nights he'd earned himself was worth the twinge of guilt he felt every time she lost her stomach. 

_Besides_, he rationalized to himself, _she's sleeping better now as well_.

Surprisingly, she never complained, and she actually seemed to strive off of being challenged. Every time Sheik had expected her to balk, she'd blown him away with her enthusiasm. It was only during moments where her modesty was threatened where she'd freeze up, which they both did their best to avoid. Though it was becoming obvious that Malon was fed up with having only one set of clothing. A solution to that issue would be nice, as Sheik wouldn't mind having a spare suit himself. Resting his head back on his interlaced fingers, the Sheikah pondered on the subject a bit longer as the sun rose.

When he felt Malon had slept long enough, he prepared a simple, yet nutritious breakfast before collapsing her tent. At her answering grunt, Sheik's lips twitched into a small smile.

As unexpected as this path was to both Malon and Sheik, the two fell into their new routine easily enough.

Once they ate, they moved on to stretches and the stances on top of a pillar. Sometimes Sheik would climb a column himself and they'd go through the stances together, other times he'd call out the stance's name he wanted her to do. Considering the painful work out she'd face if she slid into the wrong posture, Malon learned the names quickly and did her utmost not to make a mistake.

Then came the endurance training, which always consisted of jogging and sprinting. Usually some form of physical conditioning, like lightly striking oneself repeatedly to desensitize ones nerves, would follow. There was a mysterious, dead tree across a couple rickety bridges that Sheik would take her to for her to practice different striking techniques. She always knew when they were visiting the tree because the Sheikah would wrap her knuckles. Admittedly, the young Hyrulian hated visiting the tree. Not only did she feel bad for hitting a tree, dead or not, but it always rained when they went.

Malon's favorite exercise thus far was to climb the mountainside. It was unbelievably steep and she always came away with a new injury, but the thrill of accomplishment when Sheik acknowledged her hard work was a potent thing she discovered.

Throughout the day they would stop by their camp to snack and hydrate. Sheik was very strict with their rations. Time and again he'd tell her how she'd have to be careful on her own not to indulge her hunger if she wanted to survive. Sheik's argument was that if she planned to live a life full of the unexpected then she'd always have to be ready, and one was not ready for anything when they were tired with a full gut. Instead of stuffing her face, she was taught other methods - tricks in which to make her stomach feel full, like eating slowly or drinking more water.

At the end of the day, they would take turns bathing and washing their clothes in the small waterfall created by the Gerudo River's runoff.

After nearly three months of continuous training, Malon could hardly recognize her own body. Her skin was tight over hard, lean muscles. Her hands had a completely different set of calluses now. She supposed she looked more like a male now, but she didn't care. She was truly proud of herself for once. It wasn't so much the physical changes she was proud of, though she was indeed, but it was the changes she felt on the inside that she was the most proud of. By taking her life into her own hands and following through with her choice to learn to fight she felt strong again. It made her feel in control.

It was a good feeling to have.

Though that feeling was threatened when Sheik broke their routine after their morning stretches.

"Today you're going to Kakariko Village."

"Why?"

"I thought it would be good practice for you."

Malon narrowed her eyes skeptically. "Going to a village... would be good practice?"

"Did you want new clothing, or not?"

"Oh! What a great idea!"

"That's what I was thinking. So, I've written a list of things we'll need. Do you remember where I went to get your supplies before we left the village?"

"I'm going by myself?"

"I have things to tend to, but I'm positive you can do this yourself."

"You're right, sorry."

"No worries. The place is not too hard to find. Just go up the stairs on the left of the village, then some more stairs, and then its the house with the red roof," he said casually.

Too casually, which made Malon's don't-mess-up-or-you'll-have-some-crazy-exercise-to-do-as-punishment senses tingle.

"All right," she said hesitantly, "I'll do that." Her senses told her she was quickly failing whatever test was happening, so she did what she did best and asked a question. "What was the guy's name again?"

"Lee," he responded, and the pressure eased off of her senses.

_Phew, _she thought, _that was a close call._

"Woah, wait a second. Lee?"

"Yes. Do you remember now?"

"Not exactly, but... could I maybe stay the night at Kakariko?"

Sheik was quiet for a moment. "Honestly, I had envisioned you dealing with the stalchildren as part of your training, but I suppose that would give me more time... Yes, I will meet you back here in a day's time."

Malon nodded her agreement, and then they were quickly dissembling their camp. It didn't take long, as they didn't have much. When they'd left Lake Hylia behind, Sheik gave the red head some brief directions to get her to Kakariko Village. There was an awkward moment of silence, and then Sheik simply began walking away.

_Definitely not one for goodbyes, _Malon thought with a wry twist to her lips.

She watched the Sheikah's back for a moment longer before she made sure her pack was firmly settled on her back and beginning her own journey.

* * *

**A/N: **Phew! I've been working on this part of the story for so long. I wanted to make sure that I included everything I had planned correctly, which ended up giving me more of a training arch than I expected. Definitely not a bad thing, not at all. In fact, I've fallen even more in love with the story. On a side note, in the middle of writing this chapter I got the great idea to go back and edit all of my previous chapters. It took some time, but I think it's much better now. Hopefully you think so as well. :)

Huge thanks goes to those who inspired me and pushed for me to keep going. That definitely includes you, Music Watch. Thanks.


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